EAST ALTON – Two local men face felony charges after possessing metal knuckles and more, including a Cottage Hills man facing his sixth charge of driving on a revoked/suspended license.
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Danny M. Smith, 62, of Cottage Hills, was charged on Oct. 20, 2025 with a Class 2 felony count of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and a Class 4 felony count of driving while his license was revoked/suspended.
Smith allegedly possessed a set of metal knuckles on Sept. 30, 2025; his possession of the weapon was illegal as a felon previously convicted of burglary in a prior Madison County case from 2001.
Smith is additionally accused of driving a motor vehicle on 6th Street in Wood River while his license had been revoked or suspended for a previous offense of driving under the influence (DUI). Charging documents state Smith had previously been convicted of driving on a revoked/suspended license on five prior occasions in 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2006, with this latest offense being his sixth such violation.
The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to deny Smith’s pretrial release from custody, which adds he “has a lengthy criminal history and was on conditions of pretrial release at the time of the offense.”
Joseph T. Shimchick, 57, of East Alton, was charged in a separate case also filed on Oct. 20, 2025. He faces a Class 2 felony count of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and a Class 3 felony count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine.
Shimchick is accused of possessing a set of metal knuckles on Aug. 12, 2025, which were unlawful for him to possess given his previous felony conviction for residential burglary in a Madison County case from 2009. He also reportedly possessed less than five grams of methamphetamine at the time of this latest offense.
According to the state’s petition to deny Shimchick’s pretrial release from custody, Shimchick also has a lengthy criminal history and is “known to flee from police.”
The East Alton Police Department presented both of the cases against Smith and Shimchick, both of whom were ordered remanded to jail for their initial appearances in court.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
